Moviescore Media releases the soundtrack to the TV documentary series Sasquatch, by H. Scott Salinas. Directed by Joshua Rofe, the story follows journalist David Holthouse as he investigates the 25-year old crime of three cannabis growers who were supposedly killed by a mythical creature. It mixes true crime with monster hunting. Award-winning composer H. Scott Salinas has worked on a number of scores, including Bruce Lee action fable Birth of the Dragon, heist thriller The Banker, and film noir detective thriller Baghdad Central. For this one, the attempt is to take the listener deep into the forest when darkness is falling and there is no longer a willingness to be there – to create an unnerving quality which permeates the piece. The music is available for download...

Percussion is created out of leaves being crushed underfoot, a distant and distorted organ, strings slowed down and warbled, and pianos played through guitar amps and recorded down a long hallway.

This collection of music and moods begins pertinent enough, with an acoustic twang, throbbing backdrop and piano. There is a nice eerie sense of a heavy stomping through the brush. The standout flavour in track 2 ('Mendo') has strings and horn join peripheral sounds, creating an atmospheric spacious feel. Acoustic implements pick up the pace, and a guitar melody takes centre stage. However, this strongpoint is never matched or expanded upon. To mix metaphors, the magician puts all of his eggs in one basket and reveals the metaphorical monster and all of his other tricks in one go – so that thereafter everything is a variation on a theme.

And talking of themes, two tracks contain that word in the title, but neither in any sense can be considered a theme tune – only an association with a character or place. This soundtrack is not without merit. Everything is thrown at the screen to see what sticks, which is the reoccurring ominous indefinable noises surrounding the centrepiece. Discordant strings, buzzing, and the tinkling as in an antique music box. There is the hint of melancholy and otherworldly dreamscape surrounding touches, but many of the pieces don’t go anywhere and so have no resolution.

5

Ty Power